Influential MSD figure appeals to governments on behalf of pharma

Merck Sharp & Dohme’s president responsible for business in Europe and Canada has called on governments to see the pharmaceutical industry more as a “part of the solution” rather than the cost.

Talking about the way 18 of Europe’s member states have rationalised drugs costs, he told EurActiv.com that some of the cuts have been “short-term measures, rather than looking at the clear or true structural issues of the healthcare system”.

“We’re starting to see some signs of an economic recovery here and there, but we believe that the pharmaceutical market will continue to be affected by the measures that have been put in place by the governments, and the industry as a whole will be affected by this.”

Bruno Strigini, president, MSD Europe and Canada.

Mr Strigini regularly campaigns for the role of the pharmaceutical industry. Responding to pharmaphorum on the question of cost-containment in Europe, he said earlier this year that innovation was the answer, but that governments did not value it highly enough.

“Merck is about innovation. When our CEO was appointed [Kenneth Frazier, in January 2011], he reiterated our commitment to R&D and to innovation, and we spend eight and a half billion dollars a year in R&D.”

Mr Strigini added:

“We understand that there is an economic crisis, and we understand that like every other sector of society we have to contribute to the effort that is being made – the issue is that [the cutting affecting pharma] is not proportionate to what the drug budget represents in the healthcare system.”